Award-Winning PBS Documentary Scheduled for September 21 in BSC's Diversity in Education Class

(Bluefield)—The PBS documentary Not In Our Town: Light in the Darknesswill be viewed by the “Diversity in Education” class at Bluefield State College on September 21 at 4 p.m. in Room 301/Ned Shott Physical Education Building. Students in Dr. Betsy Steenken’s class will watch the documentary, and then will consider the importance and challenges of creating inclusive communities, according to Dr. Sapphire Cureg, BSC’s Director of Multicultural Affairs. (There will be a limited number of additional seats available on a first come/first served basis for interested individuals from the College community and the community-at-large.)

The documentary revolves around a town taking action after anti-immigrant violence devastates their community. In 2008, a series of attacks against Latino residents of Patchogue, New York culminated with the hate crime killing of Marcelo Lucero, an Ecuadorian immigrant who had lived in the Long Island village for 13 years. Seven local teenagers were arrested for the attack and one was charged with murder. Over a two-year period, the story follows Mayor Paul Pontieri, the victim’s brother, Joselo Lucero, and Patchogue residents as they openly address the underlying causes of the violence, work to heal divisions, and begin taking steps to ensure everyone in their village will be safe and respected.

“The documentary is a powerful invitation to other communities to take steps to prevent the pre-conditions for hate violence before a tragedy forces the issues upon them,” Dr. Cureg added.

(Bluefield)—The PBS documentary Not In Our Town: Light in the Darkness will be viewed by the "Diversity in Education" class at Bluefield State College on September 21 at 4 p.m. in Room 301/Ned Shott Physical Education Building. Students in Dr. Betsy Steenken's class will watch the documentary, and then will consider the importance and challenges of creating inclusive communities, according to Dr. Sapphire Cureg, BSC's Director of Multicultural Affairs. (There will be a limited number of additional seats available on a first come/first served basis for interested individuals from the College community and the community-at-large.)

(Bluefield)—The PBS documentary Not In Our Town: Light in the Darkness will be viewed by the "Diversity in Education" class at Bluefield State College on September 21 at 4 p.m. in Room 301/Ned Shott Physical Education Building. Students in Dr. Betsy Steenken's class will watch the documentary, and then will consider the importance and challenges of creating inclusive communities, according to Dr. Sapphire Cureg, BSC's Director of Multicultural Affairs. (There will be a limited number of additional seats available on a first come/first served basis for interested individuals from the College community and the community-at-large.)

The documentary revolves around a town taking action after anti-immigrant violence devastates their community. In 2008, a series of attacks against Latino residents of Patchogue, New York culminated with the hate crime killing of Marcelo Lucero, an Ecuadorian immigrant who had lived in the Long Island village for 13 years. Seven local teenagers were arrested for the attack and one was charged with murder. Over a two-year period, the story follows Mayor Paul Pontieri, the victim's brother, Joselo Lucero, and Patchogue residents as they openly address the underlying causes of the violence, work to heal divisions, and begin taking steps to ensure everyone in their village will be safe and respected.

"The documentary is a powerful invitation to other communities to take steps to prevent the pre-conditions for hate violence before a tragedy forces the issues upon them," Dr. Cureg added.